11/16/2013

FUNHL News and Notes

Ok, I know, I didn't do a draft review, and I haven't posted a N+N in forever. My bad.

I believe somebody captured Bladerunner's mgt at the precise moment they heard about Stamkos breaking his leg;

- The Wolves are dressing three prospects (Jones, Silvferberg, and J.Schultz), and have an FP in the QMJHL. So how come they aren't in last place? Answer; Tukka Rask.

- Flames play the Oilers tonight, with Calgary 5 points ahead of their northern rivals with 2 games in hand. Sure it is early as we are only at the quarterpole of the season, but damn am I looking forward to the big ass bottle of Scotch that will be heading my way at the end of the year. By my reckoning the Oilers are missing; a #2 C with size and face-off ability, 3 top 6 D-men, and a legit starting goaltender. Sure Ilya Bryzgalov might be the missing goalie, but even if he is balls-out awesome there are just way too many holes on this roster. Also, Bryzgalov got shelled by the Abbotsford Heat in his AHL debut, so expecting his Vezina calibre #s from a few years back would be unlikely.

Watching the Oilers completely meltdown in the middle of their rebuild is all kinds of awesome. Kevin Lowe's off-season speech about how 'he knows a little something about winning' is even more fun than watching Rob Ford explain in a live interview how he wouldn't drunkenly proffer oral sex to a staff member because he eats enough pussy at home. Good times. Go Flames!

- One of the stats from last night that stood out for me; Nail Yakupov selected 1st overall a year ago has 4 points and is -10,146 (and has his agent publicly requesting he be traded), Thomas Hertl selected late in the 1st rnd by SJ has 18 points in 20 games and is a +4. Magnificent Bastard my ass. ;-)

- Bob's got his Shadowmen near the top of the league right now, but isn't riding just a few hot guys to do it. Toews and Kopitar have both been OK, but not amazingballs, so the credit has to go to the depth he has on the team. That said, losing J-Quick for a month might make those shadows a little less terrifying moving forward.

- Speaking of goaltenders lost to injury, the Severed Heads lost both goaltenders within 20 minutes of each other in the same evening when Rinne and Ward were carted off the ice. Add to it that the 'Heads lost theiir top 2 picks (Letang and Neal) to injury prior to the season even starting, and that Brent Burns has gone from unstoppable force to 'week to week' with 'dental issues', and I'lll say this about the Injury Gods - they have a sense of humour.

- If I'm the Highlanders my biggest concern is A) Crosby might get hurt, and B) that LW looks a little shakey. Can't do anything about A), but a trade for someone at Left better than Andrew Ladd would be my top priority.

- It's funny but Dan's Great Whites seem to collect D-men prospects the way Dan's Chumfeeders collect point guards. I'm not saying it's wrong, just funny.

- While I'm on the Great Whites, what the hell is going on with Claude Giroux? Two years ago the guy was in the conversation for 2nd-3rd best player in the world (after Malkin ;-), but now can't even reach a ppg and is falling out of Olympic consideration (Stamkos' injury helps him a ton though).

- I really thought that the Vanek-Moulson trade would elevate Tavares' scoring #s into the ultra-elite category while making Vanek a legit 50 goal threat. Turns out, not so much.

- I see that the Edge are in last place, and I seriously don't know why outside of some subpar goaltending. OV and Kane are both doing well, and Duchene gives them a legit 1st line C to go with what looks like an above average D (at least on paper). My only advice would be to trade for a real goalie and hang in there. And maybe get some legit TG's.

- Looking over the Barbarians roster, I'm reminded of Team Donut - no centers. B. Richards is...ok, I guess, and Lecavalier (when healthy) could be a below average #2, but is really best suited as a #3. Overall, I'd say their Achilles heel is pretty glaring.

- That said, there is definitely hope for the Barbarians team composition, as one has only to look at the PV to see a sucessful team that is even worse at C than the Barbarians. Datsyuk is a legit #1, but Plekanec is not a legit #2 and M.Richards is borderline terrible as a #3. However, Darrell's team is pretty boffo everywhere else, especially at LW. Seriously though, I believe he's doing it with smoke and mirrors.

- The Knights Templar are the other team with three prospects on the active roster; Landeskog, Hodgson and Wheeler. Of them, I have a strong fear that Hodgson is in real trouble to produce #s in Buffalo (cuz the Sabres are flat out terrible), and that Landeskog's stats have been bouyd by the very hot start the Av's have had - at some point, they will cool off. Still, some very nice pieces for the future.

- Last but not least, my vote for best defense corps in the FUNHL goes to Chris, his quintet of; Pietrangelo, Doughty, Phaneuf, Visnovsky and Dekeyser is I believe tops in the league. Lots of weakness at the forward spots, especially after the top line.